Tainted Flower
by Light-Tracer
Summary: The strange city is definately a new world, but hardly a paradise. As Kiba searches for his lost companions, they live oblivous to their identities. But remembering may take a greater toll than they realize, for not everything is as it seems.
1. Those Who Search

Wolf's Rain, at least in my mind, ended without enough closure. So, in an attempt to find that closure, I decided to write a fanfiction. This is my first time, being as I prefer my own characters (it's much harder for me to write someone else's), but I feel it is worth it. Advanced critique is encouraged..

This is a bit of a side project, so I cannot promise how often I'll be able to update. I'll try my best to make it as often as possible, however.

If the characters belonged to me, this would not be here.

* * *

1

Those Who Search

_Paradise? Cheza? If this is paradise, then where are you?_

The rain fell in dull gray sheets, pattering softly on the sidewalk. Kiba stood underneath the protective awning of a storefront, leaning against the window as he stared out at the steady traffic. People with multicolored umbrellas wandered down the sidewalks and weaved among the cars, intent on their business. Some laughed and talked, others were quiet or sullen.

The smell of smog filled his nostrils, but for once, it did not bother him. There was something else here, the scent of lunar flowers. Indeed, that scent seemed to fill everything, as if it vibrated in the very fabric of that world. Kiba closed his eyes, inhaling deeper of that beloved scent. He wanted to howl out, both in joy and from the loneliness that still pierced his heart.

_Where are you, Cheza?_ he asked. _And where are they? Did they not make it? Am I the only one who found this world? And what of my dream?_

He had fallen in the snow, finally unable to walk anymore. His entire body had gone numb, so that he no longer felt the pain from his bloody wounds. As he had laid there wondering why he still continued even after everything had been lost, he had heard a strange voice whispering to his mind. He could not comprehend the words however, but they filled him with an incredible warmth, and as his life seeped from his torn body, he dreamt, of birds and forests, flowers and lakes, clear air, and more than that, a future filled with peace and joy, free from the bondage of a dying world and the burden that lay on the white wolf.

And now here he was, in this strange city, staring out into the rain, loneliness in the depth of his heart, lurking underneath the greater sense of peace that lingered over him.

"Can this be . . . ." he wondered aloud, "paradise?"

A passerby with a green umbrella glanced at him, but said nothing. Kiba watched the man until he disappeared among the crowd.

_So there are still humans,_ he mused. _But isn't this supposed to be a continuous cycle? Am I here again to find paradise for this world?_

There was nothing, no stirring in his heart, no quickening of breath, no deepening realization of the need. There was simply peace.

Kiba frowned.

* * *

The door to the bar jangled as it was pushed open, disrupting for a moment the conversation of those inside. A young, brown-haired man in a jacket and woman with dark hair and a neat, trim blue suit walked in. The young man sniffed at the air, then a gleam entered his eye. 

"I'd say this is it. Blue?"

The woman glanced at him, then turned her gaze deliberately toward the far end of the bar. A white-haired young man dressed in leather and bearing a strange, star-shaped scar on his chest sat in the last booth, his back to them.

"Him?" Hige inquired.

"He matches the description provided by the informant," Blue replied.

"Alright," he remarked. "Let's do this."

Blue gave Hige a nod, and started toward the man in leather.

He glanced up as she approached, curiosity flickering in his eyes as he leaned back in his seat, regarding her solemnly. Blue gave a faint smile, taking the seat across from him. The curiosity was replaced by wariness, and the white-haired man's grip on his beer glass tightened almost imperceptibly.

"Can we talk?" Blue inquired.

The man's gold eyes narrowed, "I don't know. Can we?" he replied dispassionately.

"We won't take up too much of your time," Hige slipped into the booth beside Blue, sliding her a drink.

She picked it up, taking a deliberate sip before she replaced it on the table.

"Two of you?" the white-haired man asked gruffly.

Hige smiled, taking a long drink, "Not a very friendly fellow, are you? No wonder you're back here all alone."

"I don't need anyone."

Hige shrugged, "That doesn't bother us. However, we'd like to ask you a few questions."

"I'm not in the mood."

Hige leaned forward, "Have you heard about the killings?"

"Killings?" the scarred man sounded like he was sneering, though his eyes bore no hint of humor. "I came here to drink, not talk about killings."

"There's been a rash of murders committed by the local gangs lately," Hige explained nonchalantly.

"And why does that concern me with two strangers?"

Hige shrugged, "You own a curiosity shop downtown, right?"

The man just glared at them.

"Right," Hige took another drink. "We traced a few 'items' to you. Apparently they were bought from your shop by gang members."

"If you have these items you must have the members," the man replied curtly. "I don't see why you need to involve me."

"The items were guns," Blue interjected.

A dangerous light entered the man's eyes, "I am not responsible for what is done with what I sell."

Hige took a slow breath, leaning back in his seat.

"Innocent people died. That doesn't bother you?" Blue inquired.

The man stood abruptly, "If that is all you want to ask me about, then we are _finished_."

Before either could speak, he turned around, stalking toward the door.

"Sir, wait!" Hige called out, but the door banged shut, the bells on it jangling for a moment before the noise faded into the dull buzz of conversation and the music which droned softly in the background.

"He was apprehensive," Blue said quietly.

"That guy?" Hige inquired. "He seemed more pissed to me."

"Surely he knew he was selling to gang members," Blue continued, standing. "He may even work for them."

Hige groaned, "Didn't even let us stay for a drink."

"We can't let him get away," Blue remarked firmly.

"Lead on," Hige replied.

* * *

The rain pattered against the ground, and somewhere distant, thunder rumbled. It was a soothing sound, promising danger in its voice, and Tsume felt his mood almost begin to lighten. The he heard the bar door open behind him and the hurried footsteps of the two strangers. Tsume cursed in his mind. 

His red motorcycle was parked a few meters away, glistening in the rain, and he leaped on it, pulling on his helmet and gunning the ignition. He swerved into the street, speeding through the rain. It pounded against his helmet and soaked his clothing and skin, at once both chilling and invigorating. There was a keen scent of freshness on it that almost reminded him of flowers.

_This could have been a very good day, _Tsume contemplated as he turned a corner, speeding down another street. His eyes narrowed, _Those fools. I thought I warned them not to let those weapons be traced back to me. They are going to hear about this one._

There was a faint prick of conscious in the back of his mind, in the form of the woman's cold words 'Innocent people died. That doesn't bother you?', but he shoved it away as quickly as it came.

_I'm not responsible for _what_ they do with those guns, _he thought heatedly. _How'd they find me? Didn't Lebowski assure me this wouldn't come back on me? _

_He must have sold me out,_ Tsume felt his anger rising. _I should have known better than to trust that man . . . . than to trust anyone._

A red light flickered in his vision, and Tsume pressed hard on his brake, halting a meter from the cross traffic. He lowered his foot to the ground to balance, then the light turned green, and he drove onward.

A faint sensation prickled in the back of his mind, and he glanced behind him, to see nothing but the city, and its assortment of people and cars, all shaded gray by the falling rain. Bewildered, Tsume turned his attention back to the road in front of him. The sensation remained, uneasily lurking just out of reach, as if he had forgotten something important. A strange rippling feeling swept across his arms, a feeling like fur, then he suddenly coughed.

The motorcycle jerked slightly as he regained his balance, but the coughing did not stop. His eyes narrowed in irritation and surprise at the amount of pain in his lungs, then he felt another sensation prickling at his mind, a familiar scent.

Tsume glanced quickly around. A few meters behind him, the two strangers from the bar stood on the sidewalk, watching him. Tsume yanked his motorcycle hard left, into the first side street that presented itself. The traffic was halted for a light, but Tsume accelerated, weaving expertly through the stopped cars. Several honked at him.

The cross traffic was both steady and fast, but Tsume did not feel like stopping. He swerved up onto the sidewalk, nearly missing several pedestrians before he merged into the fast-paced traffic to more angry honks. Tsume grit his teeth, ignoring them as he sped onward. He turned into another street a moment later, only to see the two strangers leap down from a rooftop into his path.

"We weren't finished," the brown-haired one remarked.

Tsume glanced between them. He said not a word.

"The fact that you would run so quickly indicates that you have something to hide," the one called Blue commented after a moment.

"Hide?" Tsume growled. "I don't _need_ to hide. I just have better things to do."

"Better things can wait," Hige answered, taking a step toward him.

Tsume pressed hard on the accelerator, swerving his bike around hard, when the coughing suddenly returned. He lost his balance, and the motorcycle went spinning out of control, slamming him into the side of a building.

Blue and Hige stared at him, concern on their faces, but he only shoved the heavy machine away from his body, standing jerkily, a glare etched into his hard face. He coughed again, blood spitting from his mouth this time, then he righted his motorcycle. Just as he was about to mount it again, another cough tore itself from his lungs, and he fell against the shiny red machine, his muscles refusing to work.

"Are you alright?" Blue dashed toward him, reaching out a hand to help him up.

"Don't touch me!" Tsume snapped. He regained control that instant, and righted the motorcycle, jumping onto it. He started it, and jerked it around, sending it speeding away from the two.

"Wait!" Hige called after him. "We still need to talk!"

Tsume increased his speed, nearly losing his balance again as he shot around a corner, his tires screeching. The fact brought a faint thrill, but it was lost in the anger boiling inside him and the lingering sense that he desperately needed to remember something. He coughed again.

His eyes narrowed in annoyance, _This is the longest I've ever had a cold. What's it been, two months since this started? And it just gets worse._

Tsume steeled himself against it, forcibly losing himself in the sounds of the city around him and in the rumble of the engine beneath him. The thrill it all normally brought was absent however, replaced by a dull ache, for what, he did not know.

Tsume glanced up into the rain, and was surprised to see the moon hanging over the tops of the nearby skyscrapers, blurry from the clouds. Even so, it held him strangely riveted, and without realizing it, he slowed to halt, staring up at the pale sphere.

"Pretty, isn't it?"

Tsume jolted at the voice, turning sharply toward it.

Hige was drilling him with an even gaze as he chomped down on a hotdog.

Tsume just stared at him, "How . . . ?"

"We move quickly," Blue answered the unfinished question as she stepped up beside her companion.

"Want one?" Hige held out the hot dog. "They're very good."

Tsume's eyes narrowed. "I don't need anything from you," he barked, about to accelerate again, when Hige suddenly grabbed on of his handlebars.

"Let go," Tsume said, his tight voice entirely level.

"We just want to talk," Hige replied.

"If you keep running, we might have to use a little force," Blue added.

"A mistake," Tsume informed them, glancing once more toward the moon, then he jerked his handlebar free from Hige's grip. "Do yourselves a favor and scram."

Blue gave Hige a slight nod, and the chubby young man leaped into the air. Startled, Tsume glanced back just as Hige landed on the motorcycle behind him. Tires screeched loudly as Tsume strove to keep the bike upright from the sudden weight. An instant later, something inside him changed.

A sound like a growl pulled itself from his throat, and he twisted around, swiping his hand at the brown-haired stranger. Hige let out a sudden yelp, falling backward off the motorcycle, four bloody wounds torn through his bulky blue jacket. Tsume just stared at him, unable to comprehend what had happened, much less the sudden power flooding his veins.

A loud screeching noise split his ears, followed by a panicked honking. Tsume whirled around, just in time to jerk his motorcycle out of the path of an oncoming car. Cursing himself, Tsume moved back into his lane, accelerating as he sped away. His hair stood on end a moment later, and Tsume glanced backwards, as the report of a gunshot reached his ears. Involuntarily, he swerved his motorcycle, barely missing the shot.

_Tranquilizer_, he realized as the projectile whizzed by his ear. _They want me alive._

_Not going to happen,_ Tsume told himself firmly, increasing his speed as he swerved in front of a large van.

Another gunshot sounded, followed by a dull thump. Tsume glanced backward, then up, just as Blue sprang down from the van. He started to pull away, but she hit him forcefully in the middle, bowling him off his bike and onto the sidewalk. His bike went skidding into a parked car to a chorus of angry honks, followed by the blaring of the vehicle's alarm.

A growl rumbling in his throat, Tsume latched his hands onto the woman's arms, and threw her from him. She slammed into a tree, but stood abruptly, her eyes burning.

"I said scram," Tsume panted. His voice sounded odd, deeper, gruffer, and more powerful.

"Can't do that, sorry," Hige's voice replied.

Whirling around, Tsume was greeted by a punch to the face. He staggered backward, his cheek smarting, but it only served to rouse the strange, feral spirit within him, and he leaped toward his opponent, hands held like claws and lips lifted in a snarl.

Darkness flitted through his mind, and for an instant, Tsume could not see or feel.

The next instant, he sprawled on the sidewalk, gasping against the painful coughing that assaulted his lungs. He could feel Hige standing over him, and he staggered to his feet, meeting the young man's gaze wildly for an instant, then he turned, dashing along the rain-soaked street.

"Follow him!" he heard Blue shouting.

The anger Tsume had once felt at them was gone, replaced with a determination fueled by anxiety. The tranquilizer gun fired again, but Tsume leaped into the air, grabbing onto the edge of a building and hoisting himself onto the roof. He kept running, leaping across the alley to the next building. Streets were beginning to look decidedly familiar.

_Downtown,_ he realized. _Not just downtown . . . gang territory._

The thought sparked an idea in him, and barely bothering to consider it, Tsume acted. He could still feel the two behind him with an eerie acuteness, and he leaped across several more alleys before he jumped down into the streets.

He ran a short way before he felt other presences around him, and Tsume halted, ducking into the nearest alley. He waited there, his gold eyes gleaming in the semidarkness and the rain, then he heard the faint thumps as Blue and Hige dropped into the street beyond.

He held his breath, listening to the sounds around him. For a moment, there was nothing save the pattering of the rain, then he heard footsteps gathering from around them.

"You two look a little lost," a sharp, heavily accented voice remarked.

"And who are you to say that?" Hige demanded, his tone uncharacteristically hostile.

"The fact that you have to ask that says you need to be told," the first speaker announced acridly.

Tsume took a deep breath, stepping away from the wall. He crouched in the alley for a moment, listening to the echoing footsteps of the gang members, then he leaped. He caught the edge of the roof with his hands and hoisted himself over it, breaking out into a silent run.

Gunshots rang out in the street behind him, but he did not look back. As he neared the far edge of the building, his eyes again were drawn to the moon and he slowed to a halt, captivated again by the pale sphere. He felt his heart pounding wildly, and his breathing was fast as he inhaled of the city air. There was a potent scent on it, exotic and beautiful in its subtlety. The scent reminded him of the moon and of a sense he had lost a long time ago.

Guilt at what he had just done stabbed through him, and not understanding his own actions, Tsume turned around, dashing back toward the gunshots, only one thought in his mind.

* * *

"Hige!" Blue shouted, leaping toward her fallen comrade. 

"Blue, wait-!" Hige started to shout, when another gunshot rang out.

Blue staggered, taking the shot in her leg, but she managed to stumble to Hige's side.

"Get out of here!" Hige snapped at her, pulling himself up from the ground. Sweat was pouring down his face, mingling with the blood from the blow he had taken.

"Not without you," Blue countered angrily.

She hoisted himself to his feet, then whirled around, blocking the punch one of the gang members threw at her. Baring her teeth, she twisted his arm savagely, throwing him to the ground. She forgot him that moment, as another gang member attacked her. He too fell to the pavement, bloodied, then Hige called out in warning. Blue turned toward him, as another gunshot sounded. She tensed, but no pain came.

A fierce howl split the air, and the next moment a blur of gray and black slammed into the gunman even as he tried to fire at it, knocking him to the ground, bloodied. Another gunman whirled around, shooting, but the blur was faster. With a scream, the second man was thrown aside, jagged wounds in his chest.

Blue heard the click of a gun being cocked, and she was suddenly loosed from the invisible bonds which had held her. She turned, dashing at the gang member who held his rifle trained on the newcomer. She kicked the weapon from his hands, then slammed the side of her hand into his face, sending him to the ground.

Scooping the gun into her hands, she whirled around, only to see that none of the gang members remained standing. Hige stood off to her side, panting as he favored his wounds, and in the middle of the fallen men, Tsume crouched, his chest heaving and his golden eyes blazing with a chilling ferocity. A broad knife was clutched in his hand, and his other arm was bleeding from a gunshot wound.

"Y-You?" Hige stammered.

Tsume glanced between them. Surprise seemed to flit through his eyes, and he straightened. He stared at them blankly for a moment, then his eyes narrowed and he clicked his tongue against his teeth, turning away from them.

"Do you now believe that I had nothing to do with your killings?" he asked gruffly.

"_Our_ killings?" Hige exclaimed.

Blue stepped forward, "You helped us?"

Tsume did not reply.

"Why?" she inquired.

The leather-clad man only snorted, then he jumped, landing atop the nearest building. He wavered there for a moment, then leaped out of sight.

Hige turned to Blue, "Do we follow?"

She stared back at him, unable to think of a reply, then the wail of sirens reached her ears. She closed her eyes briefly.

"Apparently someone heard."

Hige frowned in agreement, "I suppose we should hang around and explain things, eh, Blue?"

She sighed, "They'll want one."

Hige's eyes narrowed, but he did not speak aloud what both of them were thinking. _Why did he come back . . . after he led us here? Why'd he help us?_

Hige reached up, scratching the back of his neck, _He smelled kind of familiar._


	2. Clouded Memories

2

Clouded Memories

The room was small, and the lighting hazy. The single bulb which lit the room hummed dully. The only other noise at the moment was the squeaking of the detective's shoes as he paced.

"Are you sure it was him?" the man asked, planting his hands on the table as he turned back to the two seated across from him.

"There aren't many men around with scars like that," Hige answered, leaning back in his seat.

The detective inhaled, frowning.

"You know of him?" Blue inquired.

"His name is Tsume. We've had dealings with him," was the reply.

"I'm not surprised," Hige commented. "That guy can fight."

The detective nodded, studying the recently bandaged wounds on the younger man's chest, "His behavior was unusual. You said he led you to gang territory, then came back to help you?"

"Yes," Blue replied. "It was clearly a trap, and yet, that does nothing to explain his actions."

"Any of them," the detective mused grimly. "He has given us information from time to time, though his actions are always capricious. We have kept a weather eye on him, but this is quite unexpected."

Hige and Blue said nothing.

The detective started to pace again, "As is your involvement in this issue. I am curious as to who hired you."

"We work for Quent Yaiden," Blue said firmly.

"Mr. Yaiden, is it?" the detective commented. "He does not take trifling jobs."

"And neither do we," Hige remarked.

"If I might inquire, why was Mr. Yaiden hired to track this man?" the detective asked.

"If you want to know, ask him," Hige replied tersely. "He has a deal with the department about such matters."

The detective exhaled, "I will be calling on him then. You can inform him of that."

"Gladly," Hige stood.

"You really ought to get those looked at," the detective remarked, eyeing his wounds.

"I'll be fine," Hige smirked as Blue stood as well.

"Thank you, Mr. Lebowski," she said. "Your information about this Tsume will be most helpful."

Hubb Lebowski frowned, "I wish I could say the same. It's not every day one man takes down so many-"

"He had help!" Hige protested indignantly.

"Yes, from me," Blue corrected.

"So? That's still help," Hige crossed his arms.

"Even so," Hubb continued, almost to himself. "It does not fit with what we know of the man. I cannot say I am unhappy the gangs have lost a few men, but still, this worries me."

Hige shrugged, "Are we finished?"

Hubb waved them away with a sigh, "Yes. We are."

The light outside was brighter, but it was still raining. Hige lifted his nose to the air, inhaling deeply as he stretched his arms.

"Ahhh, it's a good day," he remarked.

"Good?" Blue inquired with a faint smile. "You usually don't call a day where you end up wounded 'good'."

"Still, there's something different about this day," Hige winked at her. "Nothing can ruin this so easily."

Blue just smiled as they joined the crowds of umbrella toting people walking down the sidewalk. They were silent for a long moment, then Hige suddenly remarked,

"Hey, did that Tsume feel familiar to you at all?"

Blue glanced at him, "Familiar? How so?"

"I don't know, like I've seen him somewhere before," Hige frowned. "No, it's different than that. Like I _know_ him or something."

Blue considered him thoughtfully, "Strange . . . . But-" she faded off, staring off toward the sky and the moon, lost in her memory for a moment. "Maybe there was something about him that felt . . . familiar, as you put it."

Hige nodded.

"What should we do?" Blue inquired.

Hige looked over at her, then shrugged, "Oh, I was thinking about getting some food. The fridge is empty."

Blue laughed, "It's always empty when you're around, Hige."

He grinned, "No sense in letting good food go to waste, Blue."

* * *

The rain was a steady drizzle. Though the chill it brought threatened to soak through his clothing, the auburn haired youth found it almost soothing as he walked along, watching the puddles splash beneath his shoes.

_It sure has been raining a lot lately, _he thought, glancing up at the clouds.

"Mew!"

Toboe blinked, then he glanced toward the alley he stood beside. In a cardboard box filled with old clothes, there huddled a small white kitten.

"Hey there," he squatted beside the box.

"Mew!" the cat said again.

Toboe reached down, picking up the small ball of fluff and holding it close to his jacket. A car passed behind him, splashing muddy water. Startled, he glanced behind him as the vehicle passed. He was about to continue on his way, when something in the alley across the street caught his eye. Toboe stood carefully, his eyes narrowed as he stared across the wet road toward the dim side street.

"You see anything?" he asked the kitten.

"Mew!" it replied. _No._

Toboe sniffed the air, a strange wind pricking against his skin, "Something . . . . feels familiar, _koneko_."

As he stood there, staring into the empty space, he suddenly caught the gleam of gold eyes. Toboe inhaled, and he clearly felt the surprise of the gold-eyed man. A jumble of images flitted through his mind, too convoluted for him to understand, then the eyes disappeared.

"Hey!" Toboe called out. "Wait!"

"Hold on, _koneko_," he whispered to the white kitten, then charged across the wet street, splashing through puddles of rainwater. "Hey! Wait!"

There was a sudden screech of tires, followed by honking. Toboe gasped, whirling around as a large truck bore down on him. The kitten mewed loudly, then there a blur of black slammed into Toboe.

He crashed to the sidewalk with a yelp as the truck skidded, honking again before it continued it on its way.

"Don't be a fool, _chibi_!" the one who had tackled him, a leather-clad man with a star-shaped scar on his chest, snapped. "You'll get yourself killed."

The man stood abruptly, his gold eyes blazing.

"I-I," Toboe stood unevenly. "Who are you? Have we met before?"

"Never," the man replied tightly.

Toboe blinked, staring back into the stranger's eyes. Somewhere in the depths of his mind he could hear a wolf howling, and another series of random images flitted past his eyes, too fast for him to follow.

"Are you sure?" he breathed.

"Positive," Tsume growled. "I don't associate with _chibi_s."

Toboe frowned, "I'm not a runt."

Tsume glanced over at him, his gaze narrowed, "Oh? You look like one to me."

"Well," Toboe retorted, his arms crossed as he hugged the white kitten, "if you don't associate with 'runts', then why'd you save me?"

Tsume clicked his tongue against his teeth, "Bad instinct. Forget about it. I'll just shove you into the next car that passes and right everything."

"You wouldn't!" Toboe pouted angrily.

"Mew!" the kitten cried out. _"Wolf!"_

Surprise glanced across Tsume's face, and he stared down at the creature in Toboe's arms, "What did that thing just say?"

Toboe stared up at him, "The kitten? 'Mew'."

"That's not what _I_ heard," Tsume replied firmly, his eyes on the kitten. "What did you say?!"

The kitten mewed again, shrinking away from the scarred man.

"Stop it! You're scaring him," Toboe protested.

Tsume's hands clenched into fists, "Tell me, _neko_, now."

It mewed softly, _"Don't . . . hurt me, wolf."_

_Wolf? _Tsume felt his breath coming hard. _Wolf?_

The hairs on his neck raised, and he glanced up, only to see the moon again. It seemed larger, brighter than it had before. He took a step back, panting as the rain pounded against his face.

"Sir?" Toboe breathed.

Tsume's brow creased in a knot, then he suddenly cried out in pain, falling to his knees.

"Sir!" Toboe grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Stop it!" Tsume jerked away from him. He collapsed again, catching himself with his hand as he gasped for breath, "Stop . . . it!"

Toboe just stared at him in dismay. The kitten mewed softly. A strange wind seemed to blow through the street, bearing with it a faint, yet incredible scent. Toboe inhaled in awe, then he finally noticed the bloody wound on the man's arm. The memory slammed through his mind with the terrible sound of a machine gun's rapid fire.

Toboe whirled around in surprise, as Tsume leaped from the abandoned building, knocking him aside, only to take a shot in the leg as they fell. It was cold, and the smell of death permeated the abandoned military facility.

As fast as it had come, the memory was gone, and Toboe was standing on the rain-soaked sidewalk, staring at the injured man who crouched, panting in front of him.

"Tsume!" Toboe grabbed him by the arm, hoisting him up.

The scarred man stared at him, his gold eyes blank from pain and surprise.

"My grandma has a medicine shop in town," Toboe continued. "She can help you!"

"I . . . don't . . . need . . . your help," Tsume growled. "How . . . did you know . . . ."

"I- I remembered," Toboe replied tightly. "You were shot in the leg, by a war machine. You had saved me . . . again."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Tsume replied, jerking his arm free. He staggered a few steps, then slumped against the side of a building, panting.

"What's wrong with you?" Toboe inquired, coming up beside him.

Tsume turned a glare onto him, "Nothing, _chibi_."

"My name's Toboe," the auburn-haired youth retorted. "You look sick."

"I'm fine," Tsume started to snap, when a cough tore itself from his throat. He managed to choke back the next one, though he was leaning harder against the brick wall.

"Please come with me?" Toboe asked. "I don't want you to die . . . ."

"You're overreacting, _chibi_," Tsume exclaimed. "I'm not going to die!"

Toboe frowned, "How do you know? If you keep jumping in front of cars to save runts when you're in this shape, its bound to happen."

A growl rumbled in Tsume's throat, "Look, Toboe, or whatever you called yourself, you're starting to get on my nerves. So why don't you just scram?"

Toboe grit his teeth, but he backed up a step, "This isn't what I remember!"

"Good," Tsume exhaled. "Because I don't remember you at all."

"That can't be true!" Toboe exclaimed. "I- I- it's all so clear! It has to be true!"

"It's not, _chibi_," Tsume replied wearily. "You're just dreaming."

"You . . . won't even at least let my grandma look at you?" Toboe whispered.

"Didn't I already-" Tsume began, then he halted suddenly, his eyes widening.

Toboe stared at him for a moment before following his gaze.

Across the street, in front of pet store where two koi swam lazily in a window tank, stood a young, brown-haired man in a blue jacket, munching lazily on a hotdog, a paper sack of groceries held in his arm. Faint recognition flickered in the back of Toboe's mind.

"Do you know him?" he asked Tsume.

"I . . . . more than I'd like to," Tsume said hastily. "Where's this grandma of yours live?"

Toboe burst into a grin, "You're going to come?!"

"No," Tsume snapped. "I just need to get away from here."

Toboe blinked, glancing back at the brown-haired stranger, then he started walking, "Follow me, Tsume!"

Tsume grunted, shoving himself away from the wall, then he staggered after the youth, a low growl in his throat.

* * *

Hige took another bite, savoring the simple, yet delicious taste of the hot dog. An instant later, a familiar scent reached his nose. Intrigued, he glanced across the street, but there was nothing there save a rain-soaked alley.

"Hmm," Hige commented. "Strange."

"What?" Blue inquired, stepping up beside him.

"I thought I smelled that Tsume," Hige replied, finishing his hot dog.

Blue glanced toward the opposite side of the street, "Really?"

Hige shrugged, "It was probably nothing. Let's go back to Yaiden's. I'm hungry."

"You're always hungry, Hige."

"I know," he grinned.

* * *

After they walked down several streets, Tsume stopped, resting his hand against the nearby tree as he panted for breath.

"Are you okay?" Toboe asked, turning back to him.

Tsume grit his teeth, straightening, "I'm fine." He glanced up into the rain, his eyes narrowed as he scanned the roof tops.

"Why did you stop then?"

Tsume turned toward the youth, "Why do you keep following me?"

"I . . . we were going to my grandma's-"

"And why do you want to help me?" Tsume continued sharply. "It'll do you no good."

"But- I . . . . My grandma can give you something for the pain," Toboe replied finally. "Why wouldn't you want help? You're sick, aren't you?"

Tsume stifled a cough, "I don't need your help."

"She has some very good medicines," Toboe started walking again, "and knows a great deal about ailments."

Tsume watched the youth for a minute, then trailed along behind him, his hands buried in his pockets.

_I'm only going so the chibi_ _will shut up. _he thought. _That's all._

"She'll even have dinner on," Toboe was saying. "You'll stay and eat, right?"

Tsume growled to himself, but he said nothing, merely following the overactive youth through the drizzling rain. Every so often, he coughed, but he managed to stifle most of them, and Toboe did not notice. Once or twice Tsume considered ducking into a side alley, but every time he started to fall behind, Toboe would run back to ask him if he was okay and tell him that they were almost there. By the second time, Tsume gave up, and a minute later, Toboe stopped in front of an old store front. The windows were dark, but inside, Tsume could see shelves full of odd shaped bottles.

_What am I doing here?_ he asked himself.

"We're here!" Toboe jogged up to the door, pulling it open.

It jangled slightly, and he juggled with his umbrella as he attempted to hold it open. With a sigh, Tsume passed through into the dry interior of the room beyond. Toboe shut the door behind them, dropping his umbrella, then he crouched, letting the white kitten climb out of his arms. It scampered a few feet, then turned back to them, mewing. Tsume regarded it with distaste, but he did not say anything, his eyes scanning over the various objects and bottles on the shelves. The room was filled with strange scents, many of them unappealing.

"Grandma!" Toboe called out, heading into the next room. "I'm home. I brought a friend with me. His name's Tsume!"

_I'm not your friend,_ Tsume growled in his mind, but he said nothing aloud.

He heard uneven footsteps, then Toboe reappeared, followed by an older woman in a long brown skirt.

"Oh, my," she remarked. "You don't look so well."

"I'm fine," Tsume replied tersely.

"You're bleeding," she adjusted her glasses and stepped over to inspect Tsume's arm.

"It's just a graze," he insisted, pulling away slightly.

Her old fingers were surprisingly strong, and she kept a hold of his arm, "This looks like a gun shot wound. You haven't been getting into trouble now, have you, young man?"

"What's it to you?" Tsume retorted.

She shook her head sadly, "So many headstrong young people run off into trouble because they see no purpose to their lives. Some end up injured, or dead, others simply with wasted lives. It's a shame."

Tsume snorted, "I don't need a lecture, old lady."

Calmly, the old lady met his eyes. For a moment, she held them. Tsume stared back at her with a twinge of shock at the intensity of her gaze, then she spoke quietly.

"There is a sense around you, young man, like one born under the eyes of the wolf. You should not abuse their gift so lightly."

Tsume blinked, "Excuse me?"

_"Wolf!"_ the kitten mewed, hopping up onto a small table beside him. It look at him with a piercing blue gaze, then began to lick its paw.

"The wolves were born to protect us humans," the old lady continued. "Those born under their eyes are . . . special. But you throw that away."

"It's my life!" Tsume jerked his arm from her grip, backing up a step. "I'll do with it as I please."

She shook her head, "Well, young Tsume, at least let me bandage your arm, and I'll see if I can't find something for your cough."

Tsume started to protest, when he suddenly realized that he had not been coughing since he entered the building. He stared at her, baffled. The kitten mewed softly, drawing his gaze back to it. Tsume held its eyes for a long moment, then he spoke.

"What do you know, _neko_?"

"Mew!" it replied, washing itself attentively again. The creature was young, and had been abandoned by the owners of its mother with the rest of its litter. As a runt, it had been left until last, until Toboe had picked it up.

"I didn't ask for your life history, _neko_," Tsume said grumpily, sinking into the brown leather chair beside the table. "What do you know about _me_?"

The kitten stood, rubbing against the lamp set on the table as it mewed at him. _"Your smell . . . . is that of a wolf."_

Tsume frowned darkly, "You heard what the old lady said, right? It's probably because of that."

The kitten only looked at him.

"Why are you talking to Ke?" Toboe inquired curiously, walking over to stand beside them.

Tsume turned a narrowed gaze toward the youth, then he grunted, "Like you'd understand."

"Maybe I would?" Toboe suggested. "Why don't you try me, Tsume? I'm not just a little kid anymore."

Tsume's eyes clouded, and he felt the tightness in his lungs beginning to return. He coughed. Toboe looked worried, but he did not say anything, and a moment later, the old lady appeared again, a roll of bandaging and several odd, dark colored medicine bottles in her arms. These she set down on the table beside the kitten, Ke. She picked up one of the bottles, dripping some of the liquid onto a cloth then she turned to Tsume.

"What is that?" he asked.

"It will keep the wound from infecting," she replied.

"I really don't need that," Tsume objected.

The old lady merely took his arm, cleaning the wound. He grit his teeth against the sting of the medicine, glaring first at her then and Toboe, who watched silently, his expression worried.

"My wounds heal just fine, old lady," Tsume commented as she started to bind it.

"Of course," she agreed politely. "This will merely speed the process. I believe you'll find it beneficial later."

"My bike is laying on a street somewhere," Tsume continued darkly. "I need to find it."

"This won't take but a moment," she replied.

Tsume clicked his tongue against his teeth, "This is unnecessary."

He started to stand, but her old fingers dug into his arm. It was the pain that brought him down with a gasp.

"What was that for, old lady?!" he demanded.

"You'll make it worse if you keep moving," she chided. "Now let me get you something for that cough."

"It's not going to help," Tsume retorted.

She just shook her head, moving to the shelves full of old bottles. Tsume stood, but he merely crossed his arms, watching her through narrowed eyes. After a moment, she grabbed a small vial of an organic looking greenish yellow liquid, turning back to him. Tsume eyed her, his gaze hardened.

"This is a very rare medicine," she told him, turning the vial around in her hand. "You can't find it much anymore, and more and more people are starting to have adverse reactions to it. I believe it might help you however. It is made from the nectar of a Lunar Flower."

"A . . . . Lunar Flower?" Tsume repeated, the back of his neck prickling at the word.

As the old lady unstopped the vial, he caught the scent of the medicine, the same scent he had been smelling all day, exotic and wonderful. A sudden burst of random scenes flashed through his mind almost painfully, and he began to cough, the images in his mind overcome by a creeping, cold darkness that sounded like maniacal laughter.

_What . . . What is this?_

Dimly through the haze, he heard a wolf howling, and the jumbled images cleared for a moment. There before him, on the snow strewn crest of a mountain stood a white wolf. As it finished howling, it turned, looking straight at him.

_"I'm going to find paradise, Tsume,"_ he heard the wolf's voice in his mind, clearer than he had ever heard anything else.


	3. Shadows

I never was quite sure exactly how the wolves went from human to wolf in the series. It seemed it could be several different things, but no option seemed definitive. Because I need a sense of order, I've decided that they can transform between forms, though certain aspects remain in human form, such as shadows, smell, and abilities. Evidence to the contrary in the series I'm choosing to ignore.

Also, if you notice anyone acting out of character, I'd really appreciate it if you'd let me know. I really want to be as accurate as possible, and I might be a little rusty on some of them.

Per some reviews I received, I have edited this chapter both stylistically and also to correct the slight discrepancies in Kiba's character.

* * *

3

Shadows

It was dark inside the room, darker than it was outside. The rain was falling in slow, silent sheets to the streets below, where the umbrella-toting people still went hurriedly on their way, even though it growing nearer to sunset. Hige sat on the sill of the open window, his back resting against its side as he stared dully out at the city, the wind ruffling his hair every so often. He had been sitting there awhile, alone and frowning.

In the dark room behind him, a board creaked. Hige shifted slightly, but he did not glance backward.

"What are you thinking about?" Blue asked quietly as she walked up behind him.

"You, of course," Hige replied satisfactorily, stretching before he turned to smile up at her.

Blue returned it faintly.

"That guy," Hige remarked, his smile fading, "Tsume, the detective called him."

"Are you still thinking about him?"

"He seemed familiar, Blue. Don't tell me you couldn't sense it."

Blue's eyes clouded slightly, but she said nothing.

Hige stared out into the rain for a moment more, then he stood, sighing, "Might as well enjoy dessert, eh? No sense in letting good food go to waste."

"You're always the same," Blue laughed.

"Oy, that's not a bad thing."

"I didn't say it was," she replied thoughtfully as he started down the stairs.

He paused halfway down, turning back to her, "Hey, you coming, Blue?"

"I think I'm going to turn in early tonight," she said quietly, turning her gaze out the window. "I'm not feeling well."

"Not the fight earlier, was it?" Hige asked worriedly.

Blue shook her head, "No. Don't worry about it. I'm sure its nothing."

"Whatever you say, Blue," Hige shrugged. "You don't want me to bring you something? I'm sure-"

"Just go on," she interrupted, quietly but firmly. "I only need to sleep."

Hige nodded, "Alright then. Don't work yourself too hard now."

Blue frowned thoughtfully, resting her hand on the top of the window as she inhaled deeply of the rain soaked air. There was a strange scent on it, like the smell of flowers, and for some reason, it sent a thrill through her.

_What am I?_ a thought which sounded far more like a memory echoed through her head. _. . . What are you?_

"Who am I talking to?" she whispered after a moment, her brow creasing.

She stood there a moment more, gazing out the window at the city, then she turned. She coughed as she did, a strange sensation like darkness creeping into her mind. It passed a moment later, and she continued toward the door. The thought that the cold did not quite feel normal entered her head, but she brushed it aside.

* * *

Several blocks away, a young, black haired man crouched in a rain-soaked back alley. Before him, its roots entwined in the cracked pavement grew a flower, a Lunar Flower. The scent filled him with a wild strength, but he ignored the desire to howl. He felt no closer to finding Cheza. 

_I've found your flower, Cheza,_ Kiba thought._ Where are you?_

The wind stirred, bringing with it a sound like a distant, mournful call. Kiba shot to his feet, his nose pointed to the sky. The call sounded again, and this time he caught the scent. It was so akin to that of the flower beside him it was nearly lost, but he could just detect the difference. It was her.

"Cheza!" Kiba sprang up, loping forward as he traced the illusive scent.

The rain was falling harder now that it was dark, and the streetlamps made pools of eerie light in the water on the sidewalks. There were still people about, but they all avoided the young man dashing past them as if they did not exist, his expression one of determination mixed with desperation.

The scent was only coming to him in wafts now, blown on the wind. It felt as if it was retreating from him, and that woke an even greater desperation in his soul.

_No! I can't lose you again! _Kiba grit his teeth, struggling to contain the desire to fully assume his natural form. He could run faster if he did, but he was not entirely sure of how these humans would react. The next moment, he decided he could care less, but as he closed his eyes to shift, he ran headlong into one of the humans. The impact sent both tumbling to the ground.

Kiba leaped to his feet, whirling around as he sought to recover Cheza's scent. For a moment, he could almost smell it on the wind, then it was gone. Panting, Kiba backed up slowly before he took a seat on his haunches. He stared up at the dark sky where the moon was barely visible, a glowing crescent peeking out from behind a swath of dirty clouds.

It took him a moment to realize that the human he had collided with was still prone, and staring at him. The white wolf turned slowly, his claws clicking on the sidewalk, but what he was about to do left his mind the instant he saw the human.

_"Tsume?" _Kiba breathed in surprise.

Tsume's surprised look turned agitated, and he scrambled to his feet, "What, now wolves are talking too? And since when did wolves come into the city?"

_"Tsume?" _Kiba asked, confused. _"Do you not remember?"_

The man had been fingering the knife at his waist, but he withdrew his hand as if it had been stung., and for a moment, he stared down at Kiba, his face paled a shade.

"What do you mean, remember?" his hand clenched into a fist, the knuckles white.

Kiba watched him for a moment, then he looked away, _"I guess it was too much to hope. This is my paradise."_

The last was said mournfully. He felt no ties to the paradise, no love for it, nothing. There was only the absence of the need that had driven him for so long. Peace, he had called it once, but it did not seem so desirable anymore. He was beginning to feel lost.

"Paradise?" Tsume's voice brought him out of his thoughts. "You . . . you're the white wolf from my dream . . . ."

Kiba perked, his gold eyes intent, _"What did you dream? Tell me."_

His former companion looked a bit irritated, but he complied, "A white wolf, you, standing atop a snow covered mountain. You were telling me that you would find paradise."

_"I did," _Kiba mused, a frown touching his muzzle. _"But what kind of paradise is this, Tsume?"_

"This, paradise?" Tsume snorted. "I don't know what forest you've been living in, but this isn't any paradise. It's just life."

Kiba nodded slowly, _"Do you remember anything else?"_

"Who said anything about remembering?" Tsume growled. "Besides, every time I think about wolves, I start getting sick. I'm going to go find my motorcycle before it gets dark or someone steals it, and then I'm going to try to forget that this ever happened."

_"Tsume, wait!"_ Kiba dashed after him, but Tsume whirled around, his knife drawn and held ready.

_"We were companions on the same quest," _Kiba continued, _"Searching for paradise. You, me-"_

"Save it, wolf," Tsume replied through his teeth, a panicked look in his blazing eyes. "I don't have time for this."  
He whirled, leaping up to the nearest roof top and disappearing from sight. Raising himself to his hind legs, Kiba reverted to human form, and was about to follow him, when he heard a sudden cry.

"Hey!"

Kiba turned to see a brown haired youth in a red jacket running toward him, Toboe.

"Have you seen a tall man with a star-shaped scar on his chest?" Toboe gasped, skidding to halt behind him. "I lost him a few streets-"

"Tsume," Kiba supplied.

"You saw him?" Toboe's face lit up.

"Toboe?" Kiba said quietly, searching the youth's eyes.

Toboe blinked, his expression blank with confusion, "That is my name . . . . What . . . ."

"Do you not remember me, Toboe?"

"Should I?" the boy sniffed, his eyes darkening suddenly. "The rain . . . . I don't feel so good."

Kiba frowned, "What happened to the wolf?"

"Wolf?" Toboe asked, then he smiled. "I love wolves! I used to dream I was one and I traveled with a pack led by a white wolf!"

"I am that white wolf, Toboe," Kiba replied earnestly. "It was real."

Toboe stared at him for a long moment, then he suddenly gasped, his eyes widening, "Kiba?"

"Yes."

"I . . . . the old man?! Is he alright?"

"I . . . " Kiba's eyes clouded. "I don't know. Everyone died . . . everything died, then it was all remade. I think I had a dream about it, then a long time seemed to pass, and I awoke here."

"Paradise?" Toboe glanced around, confused, then he looked down at the white kitten that was circling around his legs. It mewed at him, and he bent, picking it up. "I used to hate cats . . . . Is this paradise?"

Kiba glanced up at the half hidden moon and the rain, frowning. It did not feel right.

Toboe nodded, his gaze focused on the purring cat in his arms, then he glanced back the way he had come, "I'm happy, I think. That's what counts, right? Are you happy, Kiba?"

"Cheza is gone," Kiba replied quietly, closing his eyes.

For a long moment the youth was silent, then he smiled suddenly, "It's raining and the moon's out, Kiba. I'm sure we'll find Cheza soon! The whole city is filled with the scent of Lunar Flowers! We can howl like old times, and maybe Hige, Blue, and Tsume will join us . . . right?" he paused, "Tsume . . . . Kiba, he doesn't remember! And he's sick! Grandma gave him a medicine from a Lunar Flower and it seemed to help, but then he left! We have to find him, Kiba!" he coughed as he finished, his face drawing in agitation. "I don't think he's well!"

"What is well?" Kiba mused, sniffing at the air. "Toboe, do you smell that?"

The youth paused, "Smell what, Kiba?"

"Something is different," Kiba replied quietly. "It smells like rot."

Toboe smelled the air again, his eyes darkening, "It makes me sick."

Kiba glanced around, suddenly feeling nervous. He stood there for a moment, then turned back to the youth, "Is there anywhere we can talk in private? We're being watched."

Toboe coughed slightly, "I . . . we can go to my grandma's . . . . Do you think someone is after us?"

Kiba did not reply. He kept glancing backwards as they walked. The shadows seemed to flit strangely in the rain, but he had no solid sign that anything was amiss beyond the rank scent that lingered just behind that of the Lunar Flowers and the lingering feeling that someone was watching them.

"Who would be hunting us?" Toboe continued. "These humans may fear the wolves, but they don't hate us, and all the nobles are gone. Is Darcia still around, Kiba?"

_Darcia_, Kiba felt a bad taste in his mouth, and suddenly the new scent reminded him keenly of the human-wolf. _But Darcia is dead. I saw him die, there was nothing left . . . . Except his wolf eye. But wasn't that part of him the wolf, what was good? I thought you destroyed the rest, Cheza._

"Kiba?" Toboe repeated, his tone concerned.

"Darcia is dead," Kiba replied with a growl. He did not know how, but he was sure of it, as sure as he was that this was the paradise he had opened. Nothing else made sense to him, but those two things did.

"Then what is this smell?" Toboe wondered with another cough.

Kiba glanced over at him, his thoughtful eyes frowning, "Are you alright, Toboe?"

The youth nodded, hugging the kitten in his arms, "The smell is making me a little sick, but I've never felt better, Kiba, at least not in this world. Do you remember how we used to run? The air was so clear!"

A faint smile touched Kiba's face and for a brief moment he forgot the nervousness, lost in the memories Toboe's enthusiasm brought back to his mind. It last only a moment then, and the apprehension was back. He glanced behind him once more, but saw nothing save for the uneasy flickering shadows, pools of distorted light, and rain, lots of rain. It was falling harder. Gone was the rush of excitement it brought on. The world seemed to weep. Something was amiss with this new paradise.

_What is going on, Cheza?_

Toboe coughed again, nearly staggering. Kiba touched his arm to steady him.

"Are you alright?"

Toboe coughed again, but he only nodded, his face set with determination, "I'm fine, Kiba."

He had lost his grip on the kitten, but it leaped up, climbing up his clothes to perch on his shoulder. Kiba eyed it distrustfully, then it mewed, fluffing its coat in a futile attempt to ride its fur of the water.

_"You are the white wolf,"_ the kitten remarked.

Kiba cocked his head, considering the animal for a minute, "There are other white wolves, cat."

_"You are _the_ white wolf,"_ the kitten repeated.

"And how does a cat know that?"

_"I was told."_

_Told?_ Kiba thought, "By whom?"

A unreadable light passed through the young creature's eyes, and it turned away, huddling in Toboe's hair in another attempt to get out of the rain.

"By whom?" Kiba repeated, his voice more intense.

The kitten mewed. It said nothing more.

A gust of wind blew down through the nearly deserted streets, bringing a brief increase in the amount of rain that was falling in gray torrents now. The moon was still visible high above, but only barely so, being nearly lost to the gathering clouds. The rank scent surrounded them now, stronger in the uneasy shadows. It seemed to retreat from the scent of the Lunar Flower, but the wind mingled both, and as Toboe's coughing increased, Kiba felt a hint of sickness creeping into the pit of his stomach.

_What is happening, Cheza?_ Kiba asked in his mind. A flicker of anger rose in him, _What is happening to my paradise? Is it not enough that it must be imperfect? Who is attacking it?_

He wondered briefly at his last thought. How did he know it was being attacked? Was it being attacked? Kiba frowned. He did not know. Things had been so clear before. There had been a goal, finding paradise. That had been it, and it had been everything. Now, he did not know what mattered or what he was supposed to do, if anything.

"We're almost there!" Toboe called out, his voice loud to be heard over the wind and the rain. "Grandma has lots of flowers so we shouldn't be able to smell this awful scent anymore!"

Kiba gave the youth a nod, a hint of the grimness easing from his features.


End file.
